This report deals with employment in American Indian reservations and other Indian controlled land within metropolitan statistical areas in the United States, which will be referred to as “urban Indian lands” below. Urban Indian lands contain about 60 percent of total Indian country employment across the U.S.

Urban Indian lands added 59,700 jobs since last November, according to a new study by the University of Redlands Institute for Spatial Economic Analysis (ISEA). This represents a growth of 1.6% since last November. The Plains region led Indian lands with 2.6% annual job growth. The New England region grew the slowest at -0.2%.

Education and Health Services drives job growth in past year

Among urban Indian lands, Education and Health Services added the most jobs in the past year (+13600 jobs). Job gains in this industry were highest in Tulsa OK (+1900 jobs within urban Indian lands), Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale AZ (+1600 jobs), and Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach FL (+1500 jobs). The largest job losses were in Information (-910 jobs within urban Indian lands). Job losses in this industry were highest in Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale AZ (-530 jobs), Fayetteville NC (-150 jobs), and Urban Honolulu HI (-91 jobs).

Jobs grew fastest in zip codes with 500-999 people per square mile

ISEA breaks down employment by zip code. The map above shows employment levels (represented by circle width) and annual change in employment (represented by circle color). Large circles represent a large number of workers, and green circles indicate fast growing zip codes.

Overall, areas with 500-999 people per square mile grew faster than other areas at 1.9% over the year. This is followed by areas with 1000 or more people per square mile (1.7% annual growth). Areas with 200-499 people per square mile grew the third fastest at 1.6%. Areas with less than 200 people per square mile grew the slowest at 1.4%.

Madera CA is fastest growing MSA

ISEA compares metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) in terms of their growth specifically within urban Indian lands. The fastest growing areas were Madera CA (growing at 6.7% over the year), Santa Maria-Santa Barbara CA (5.2%), and Fresno CA (5.1%). Zip codes in these MSAs can be identified on the map due to their large green circles. Slowest growing were Midland MI (-3.4%), Norwich-New London-Westerly CT-RI (-2.2%), and Eau Claire WI (-1.7%). Zip codes in these MSAs can be spotted due to their large red or yellow circles.

The researchers combined today’s data release on employment by industry from the Bureau of Labor Statistics with business pattern data by zip code and industry from the U.S. Census Bureau to arrive at their projected values. National, BEA region and state employment are seasonally adjusted. Total non-farm employment by MSA are also seasonally adjusted, while MSA sectoral employment and zip code employment are not. Employment within MSAs cover about 80 percent of total national employment. Urban Indian lands cover about 3 percent of MSA employment. The researchers point out that, given the data available to them, their projected values are only rough approximations of the true values, and that accuracy is higher for counties with larger populations. Despite those shortcomings, the observed patterns should still be helpful for decision makers in politics, businesses and organizations to determine where to best direct their efforts.

About the University of Redlands Institute for Spatial Economic Analysis (ISEA)

The Institute for Spatial Economic Analysis (ISEA) serves regional, national and global business and government leaders in their needs to better understand how socio-economic phenomena affect their communities. A division of the University of Redlands School of Business, ISEA publishes ongoing, timely reports covering retail, employment, housing, logistics and other special topics. A key distinction of the Institute is its ability to illustrate economic trends and patterns through the use of geo-spatial mapping techniques. In addition, ISEA’s ability to provide Zip code level analysis for many of its reports provides unprecedented detail. Current ISEA economic data and interactive maps may be found at http://www.iseapublish.com/map/